Tag Archives: Four principles of the Knights of Columbus

Recently, as in the past couple of years, I have become more active with the Knights of Columbus at my parish (Council 13779). In the past month, I was appointed by the Grand Knight to be the council’s new Lecturer. The position speaks about the good of the order and encourages the men to live good lives and to practice their faith well on a variety of fronts, since we all need that encouragement from time to time.

I have also taken the initiative to get more involved with the Fourth Degree Assembly and will participate, as my schedule permits, with the Honor Guard. Last Thursday, for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper, was the first time I wore the Knights of Columbus Regalia in nearly 10 years. I was incredibly blessed to be a part of it. It brought reverence and respect to an already solemn and sacred Mass (see pictures).

Processing into the Holy Thursday Mass – April 2017.

Me dressed in my regalia.

For the past twenty-four years, since I was nineteen years of age, I have been a member in the Knights of Columbus. It was my Dad who first joined the Knights, and then a few months later, I followed his example and joined. We were both charter members of Council 11007. During my junior year of college, I served as the Grand Knight and Membership Director at the University of San Francisco College Council.

While a Theology teacher at St. Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix in 2006, I was a part of the Fourth Degree Assembly that help found the Columbian Squires Circle #5000. It was a great honor being part of this endeavor! Currently, there are two young men studying in seminary for the Diocese of Phoenix that were members of Circle #5000.

There is so much that the Knights of Columbus engage in, it would be impossible to tell you everything in this one article, however, I want to briefly explain the 4 Principles of the Order – Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.

In Charity, members of the Knights of Columbus are called to love their neighbors. Through our faith in God, and from our Baptismal call, we are to do the mission of Christ today by serving those in need. The Knights do this by having food drives, clothing drives, and giving food to local soup kitchens/food pantries. We are involved with the Special Olympics, Culture of Life Fund, Coats for Kids, Christian Refugee Relief, Food for Families, and many others. The Knights are one of the largest charitable organizations in the world today.

In Unity, we remain together in a brotherhood, a “band of brothers”, focusing on our roles and duties as Catholic men. We all struggle at different times in our lives, being united as this “band of brothers” gives us strength in numbers, because together we can accomplish more than being alone. We will disagree and have different opinions, but in this “band of brothers,” we will always have each other’s back. One of the great aspects of this is always asking for prayers and sending out messages when a brother or family member needs prayers (my council does this often).

In Fraternity, the Knights of Columbus provides assistance to the individual Knight as well as his family. The founding of the Knights, by Venerable Michael J. McGivney, found in its cornerstone this very element – to assist widows and children that were left struggling when the head of the family died, most often prematurely. The insurance program provides such assistance to this day. Through fraternity, the Knights serve millions of service hours a year in order to provide mercy and compassion to those most in need.

In Patriotism, we in the Knights are composed of many heritage backgrounds. We are Americans, Canadians, Mexicans, Cubans, Filipinos, Poles, and Dominicans – all patriotic members of society. Our devotion for God and country allows us to profess the importance for religious freedoms for everyone. We serve our Veterans and seek to care for them when needed. Whatever sector we work in, public or private, as Catholic men, it is our duty to serve our countries and be counted among the best citizens possible.

In the end, the Knights of Columbus are a Band of Brothers Going Into the Breach!

Fourth Degree Assembly #3327 in regalia.

To conclude, here are the words of the great Polish Pope, St. John Paul II, from a letter to the Knights of Columbus he penned in 2002,

“For this reason [blossoming of the New Evangelization], I am most pleased that the Knights have continued to emphasize the need for profound spiritual renewal as the basis for the many and varied initiatives undertaken in support of the Church’s mission…As the Church in America seeks to move forward with sincere faith and confidence in the Lord’s sustaining grace, I urge all the Knights and their families to intensify their prayers for the authentic renewal of ecclesial life and the preservation of “that unity which has the Spirit as its origin and peace as its binding force” (Eph 4:3)…I express once more my gratitude for the Knights’ unfailing commitment to promoting vocations to the priesthood and the religious life…I pray that the Knights of Columbus, in full fidelity to the vision of Father Michael McGivney, will make every effort to draw young people to Jesus Christ and help them to understand that the true meaning and value of life is found in the generous gift of self to God and to others.”

If you are a Catholic male over the age of 18 (or know of one) and not in the Knights of Columbus, I would highly encourage you to join and get involved with the Knights of Columbus. Catholic men need to stand up and join the fight of this post-secular culture – the Knights of Columbus is a great way to engage in that battle (and yes, we carry swords!)

To join, ask any Knight of Columbus or contact your local parish Membership Chair.

Venerable Michael J. McGivney…Pray for Us.

Postscript:Please – any comments made should be done with charity and respect. Any comments attacking the author (me), the ceremonials of the Knights of Columbus, or each other will not be approved. Just because the ceremonials are not public, doesn’t mean they contradict Church teachings. I am sorry and apologize if someone in the Order offended you, hurt you, or caused you pain in the past. We should not put blame on the entire Order because of individual members. All comments are read by me and only approved with my discretion. Thank you. He is Risen! Happy Easter!

Yesterday, Pope Francis met with the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus at the Vatican. During his remarks, he said,

“I am pleased to welcome the Board of Directors of the Knights of Columbus on the occasion of your meeting in Rome. I thank you once again for the prayers which you, and all the Knights and their families, have offered for my intentions and the needs of the Church throughout the world since my election as Bishop of Rome.

On this occasion I also wish to express my gratitude for the unfailing support which your Order has always given to the works of the Holy See…May prayer, witness to the faith and concern for our brothers and sisters in need always be the three pillars supporting your work both individually and corporately. In fidelity to the vision of the Venerable Father Michael McGivney, may you continue to seek new ways of being a leaven of the Gospel and a force for the spiritual renewal of society.”

For the past twenty years, since I was nineteen years of age, I have been a member of the Knights of Columbus. It was my Dad who first joined the Knights, and then a few months later, I followed his example and joined. In the twenty years as a member, I have served in a variety of roles in variety of councils.

In my junior year of college, I served as the Grand Knight and Membership Director at the University of San Francisco College Council. Although I enjoyed that year very much, my greatest joy was when I was a part of the founding of the Columbian Squires Circle #5000 at Saint Mary’s Catholic High School in Phoenix, Arizona.

It was a Squire Circle that was very active and assisted with events for the high school, diocese, and the local community. Currently, there are two young men studying in seminary for the Diocese of Phoenix that were members of Circle #5000.

It’s something I will always be very proud of as member in the Knights of Columbus since it led me to become a 4th degree member, the visible arm of the Knights of Columbus.

If you are a Catholic male over the age of 18 (or know of one) and not in the Knights of Columbus, I hope the 5 reasons below will encourage you to join this great fraternal organization of the Catholic Church that is founded on the principles of Charity, Unity, Fraternity, and Patriotism.

1. The Heartbeat of the Knights of the Columbus is Service. The Knights are one the largest charitable organizations in the world. Through a variety of fundraisers throughout the year, the Knights raise financial support for many charities, including the Special Olympics and the Global Wheelchair Mission. The service aspect of the Knights encompasses the Church, Community, Council, Family, Pro-Life, and Youth.

2. The Knights of Columbus Supports the Catholic Church because the order is composed of a fraternity of 1.8 million Catholic Men. From the founding of the Knights of Columbus by Venerable Michael J. McGivney, the Knights have been a foundation of support for the Catholic Church. In recent years, the Knights of Columbus have performed a variety of projects for the Universal Church as well as worked with Bishops of the particular churches here in the United States and in countries where the Knights currently reside.

3. The Knights of Columbus arePro-Family. Since the traditional family is composed of the husband, wife, and children, the Knights see them as the core, foundation, and fabric for all of society. Although the council meetings are for the members, many councils sponsor activities with the family in mind. It’s a great time to gather together as Catholic Christians and members of the Mystical Body of Christ. Realizing that the youth are an integral part of society, the Knights seek to foster the development of the child from adolescence to adulthood. Asking for the intercession of the Holy Family is at the center of prayer for the Knights when it comes to family life.

4. The Knights of Columbus are strongly and devoutlyPro-Life. Following the teachings of the Catholic Church, they believe that Life begins at conception and ends in natural death. While the Knights are in involved in a plethora of activities locally that foster the Pro-Life movement, they are also major supporters of the March for Life in Washington, D.C., the National Prayer for Life Campaign, the Ultrasound Initiative, and the Culture of Life Fund.

5. The Knights of Columbus are Faithful to the Catholic Church by being obedient to the teachings of the Church, its Bishops and Priests, and showing fidelity to the See of Peter. As faithful Catholics, the Knights foster and develop Vocations to the Priesthood, Religious Life, and Holy Matrimony. Standing with the Catholic Church, the Knights of Columbus also fight for Religious Liberty, which is being threatened here in the United States, but across the globe still to this day.

For more information on the Knights of Columbus and the work we do, please check out the K of C website. If you have the social media sites of Facebook and Twitter, please “Like” or “Follow” the K of C presence there as well.

Update #3: I am not sure why this blog post has gained popularity again nearly two years after it was written, but thank you for reading. Since comments in the past were uncharitable, this blog post will remain closed to comments. Please check out my other series’ – “Mondays with Mary”, The Doctors of the Church, and Quick Lessons from the Catechism.

Update #2: There are some comments that are just uncharitable. From this point forward, they will not be approved. Thank you.

Update #1: If you are going to comment on the rituals that occur within the Knights of Columbus, your comment will not be posted. Just because it’s secretive does not make it wrong and contradictory to Church teaching.